Black Eyed Peas member Apl.de.ap recently talked about his collaboration with Sandara Park on a new song. Their single, “2 Proud”, tells a story about the complexities in modern relationships. Not only does the song resonate with people lyrically, but it also carries a catchy beat.

The music video for the song transported the viewers back to the ‘50s with its aesthetic. Sandara’s limited screen time in the video was explained by the pandemic and the restrictions it caused. Apl and Sandara worked on this song through the pandemic, and it showed the determination of both parties to overcome a major obstacle in the creative process.

Discussing the inspiration behind "2 Proud," Apl reflected, " I’ve been experimenting on my new inspiration, I love being inspired by afro beats right now.” Apl.de.ap shared that the song was written during the pandemic, and he’s always wanted to work with Sandara. He also mentioned that they’ve worked with 2NE1 in the past, and the collaboration with Sandara was because he’s hung out with her and wanted to collaborate.

In 2011, Black Eyed Peas members will.i.am and Apl.de.ap collaborated with 2NE1’s CL onstage for the MAMA Awards which was held in Singapore. They performed BEP’s hit song “Where is the Love?” to an enthusiastic crowd filled with K-pop stars and fans.

On working with Sandara on this track, Apl said, “I'm glad she’s open minded about this new style, and it was during the pandemic, so we had to do it via internet and zoom.” Apl.de.ap also shareD that even shooting the video was done through Zoom, and they had to be creative about it, hence Sandara’s limited screen time in the music video.

Apl.de.ap also mentioned that “[it’s] just the first song in that style of music and I have another collaboration with a Filipino artist coming soon.” When asked if there were any other K-pop artists he would like to collaborate with, he answered BTS.

For Filipino artists he’d like to collaborate with, Apl mentioned he’d like to work with Flow G and Nadine.

The range of Apl.de.ap’s musical influences is reflected in his creative process. He shared, “First, it comes in different ways. Sometimes the beat makes me feel a certain way, and sometimes I start with the melody first.”

He continued, "Sometimes it just comes out naturally. Especially like with this song, I was feeling it when writing this song. I was actually going through it." This authenticity shines through in his music.

Apl revealed his preference for writing love songs with a modern twist. He referred to them as "modern-day love songs," explaining, "Since then, I've been writing more love songs, and I call it modern-day love songs. It's like R&B but with a cool beat that you can just dance to."

When asked if he found working with a different genre challenging, Apl answered, “Yeah, it is a challenge, and that's what makes it exciting, learning the new sounds and studying because it's all about capturing the minute details and creating the right rhythm for it.”

For Apl.de.ap, the most rewarding aspect of the entire project is, “It’s finally out.” He shared that he tends to hold onto a lot of things, and he’s very critical. Apl.de.ap shared that, he calls it a compilation of collaborations, because for him, it’s not a solo project. “It’s a side project that I could do something different, show my feels,” he said.

Considering that the song was created during the pandemic and Apl.de.ap only just released it last March, he said it’s mainly because of the timing. He shared, “it didn’t feel right when we first thought about it, and we’re working on a Black Eyed Peas album at that time as well, so I was like maybe when there’s a space for it, without distractions. It’s the right timing.”

Watch the music video for “2 Proud” here:

— By Samantha Prats